He’s always been this way: unpleasant, obnoxious, poorly informed, and just generally been a grating presence on the news. I don’t know what segment of the population he’s supposed to appeal to — I don’t think he’s liked by either the right or the left — and Matthews has a serious misogyny issue.
This tendency to objectify women in his orbit has bled into his treatment of female politicians and candidates. He has repeatedly lusted over women in politics on air, including remarking in 2011 that there’s “something electric” and “very attractive” about the way former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin walks and moves, and noting in 2017 that acting attorney general Sally Yates is “attractive, obviously.” But he has reserved a particular contempt for the woman who made it closest to ascending the heights of American political power, Hillary Clinton, calling her “witchy,” “anti-male,” and “She-Devil.” The Cut obtained footage of him joking in early 2016, just before a live interview with then candidate Clinton, “where’s that Bill Cosby pill,” referring to the date-rape drug. In 2005, he openly wondered whether the troops would “take the orders” from a female president; after another interview, he pinched Clinton’s cheek; and in another, he suggested that she had only had so much political success because her husband had “messed around.” This evening anchor, in addition to everything else, has repeatedly challenged whether women are legitimate politicians or could be president at all. “I was thinking how hard it is for a woman to take on a job that’s always been held by men,” he said of Clinton in 2006.
When MSNBC was constantly being labeled as a left-leaning news channel, I just had to look at Chris Matthews to wonder what they were smoking.
I guess he’s been yanked from all of MSNBC’s election coverage, at last. Now they just need to fire him.
Only just recently learned about Matthew’s sexism, but I really started hating this fucker after that MSNBC ad for his show that praised “American Exceptionalism.”
I don’t know what segment of the population he’s supposed to appeal to
That centrist between liberal and Trump voter: the angry white semi-educated asshole with one liberal idea, usually something that benefits them personally.
Fire him. He has always been an asshole. Self-important, self-involved and fundamentally dumb.
Aside from all this other stuff, (which is bad enough), I have always disliked the way Matthews exerts his overweening self-importance by constantly interrupting his guests. He doesn’t let his guests speak. I stopped watching his show for that reason.
Isn’t it possible, Marcus, that Matthews simply appeals to the rich guy who objectifies women demographic? It’s not a big demo, but it includes just about everyone in executive positions at Universal, NBC, MSNBC, and the overarching parent-company NBC/Universal.
If the big boss thinks you’re brilliant, you don’t necessarily have to be actually good at your job.
@5 Crip Dyke:
Oh, that’s actually a profound thought.
Some years ago, former Texas Republican House member Tom DeLay appeared several times as a guest on Matthews’ show. At the time I mostly like Matthews, but he acted like a fawning, love-smitten pre-adolescent girl with DeLay, whose obnoxious conservative opinions and attitudes continue to this day. Those episodes turned me off from Matthews, whose alleged views toward women belie his claimed Catholic beliefs and his oft-recited love and affection for his wife, Kathleen.
I can only attribute Matthews’ mixed progresssive and conservative views as an effort to appeal to both parties, regardless of the truth. In short, television ratings are everything.
Fire him for sure. The guy’s an unremitting asshole. Almost makes me want to research how he got his job in the first place—but he’s not worth it.
He’s a propagandist – being exactly that kind of arsehole is his job. The corporate media is not there to inform you, or appeal to you, it’s there to manipulate you. The system is functioning exactly as intended. Stop watching.
I thought of him as that loud yelling guy who then DINO asshat Zell Miller wished he could challenge to a duel. That was priceless. Though in retrospect it seems in playful jest:
https://youtu.be/ZnnPDTYHy94
@7 weylguy:
“…whose alleged views toward women belie his claimed Catholic beliefs…”
Have you met the catholic church? This makes him a poster boy.
All I have to do is remember his cheerleading for the Iraq War (while saying he opposed it in private) and his drooling over W, and I change the channel till Rachel comes on…
I haven’t watched him in years. Is he still quoting Bobby Kennedy and mentioning working for Tip O’Neill every five seconds?
Report of Chris Matthews retiring.
Link
It was PZ’s finger on the scale wot dun it
He was, uh, useful for understanding the perspective of a certain kind of person, I guess. I’ll always remember him for his bristly election night co-anchor gig with Keith Olbermann, and for getting Phil Donahue fired because C.M.’s ego couldn’t take being eclipsed. But I will give him credit for visibly coming around on some things — for seeming to want to be a better person, even in his resignation speech.